This invention relates generally to the mixing and dispensing of grout, and more particularly to a system and method for mixing and dispensing grout.
For the anchoring of bolts or deformed bars in the floors, walls or ceilings of structures or excavations, or in concrete or cement floorings, grout is used. Grouts are self setting mixtures which have a gel time followed by a cure time. The grout compositions have interactive ingredients, a catalyst and mastic, which are often stored separately and mixed together in precise quantities on site. After mixing, the grout must be applied to the hole holding the bolt or bar before the grout gels and sets. However, the mixing of precise quantities of the grout ingredients on site is wasteful and uneconomical.
As is known to those familiar with the art, grout compositions can comprise polyester resins, epoxy resins or inorganic material such as cementitious resisns.
A cartridge for holding grout with two unmixed interactive components and method for of making same is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,297 by the present inventor.
U. S. Pat. No. 3,858,853, also by the present inventor discloses a container with a mixer and a method of use. A hollow caulking tube, with the grout material, catalyst and mastic, inside, is used. The catalyst and mastic material are in contact longitudinally throughout the tube. Where contact has taken place a slight chemical reaction occurs which prevents further reaction between the two components.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,853, one end of the tube is removable (the end opposite the dispensing end of the tube). Such end is removed, and a mixing rod is placed through a hole in the end, and connected to a mixer blade. The removable end is placed back on the tube with the mixer blade inside. The other end of the mixing rod is placed in the chuck of a drill. When the drill is operated, the mixer blade rotates and is urged forward through the composition within the tube so that the contents of the tube are mixed. At the conclusion of the procedure the mixer blade is at the front or dispensing end of the caulking tube and the rod is removed. The hole in the removable end is covered with a piece of tape, and grouting may now be applied for the anchoring of bolts or bars.
Although the existing apparatus and method performs the function of mixing the grouting components prior to use of the grout for anchoring, it has certain limitations. The grout components within the container, the catalyst and mastic, tend to leak and the grout tends to deteriorate with time thereby reducing its shelf life. Also, after completion of the mixing process, the mixer blade is positioned at the dispensing end of the container which tends to impede the flow of the grout out of the container. Finally the tube must be opened by removing its end opposite the dispensing tip and placing the mixer blade within the tube. The end must then be placed back onto the tube prior to mixing.